Vocabulary study device



June 10,1958 L. J. FERNBACH 2,837,839

f VOCABULARY STUDY DEVICE: I Filed Oct. 19, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l I i i I I u fl 63 Y 67 "y A n E l 65 @"3 L10/I se L Q E E 3631 INVENTOR.

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'June 10, 1958 L, J, FERNBACH I 2,837,839

VOCABULARISTUDY DEVICE Filed oct. 19, 1954 y 2 sheets-sheet 2 \4o 4I 45 f j nf. .3o

INVENToR. Linde rs J. Fernboch ATTORN Y VCABULRY STUDY DEVICE Linders J. Fernbach, Bronx, N. Y.

Application Qctober 19, 1954, Serial No. 463,154 1 Claim. (Cl. 35=76) The present invention relates tov a language.A study device and refers more particularly to the type of' device in which a web is supported in a casing between supply and take up rolls for the purpose of exposing selected portions of the web through a window in thecasing.

An object of the present invention is the provision of means affording step by step travel of the web in either a casing is provided, comprising a removable supply spool, a takeup spool which need not be removable, and a spring connected to the takeup spool through gears, the springbeing loaded when the takeup spool is empty and tending to` wind the web onto the latter. A wheel with ratchet teeth is fast to a slidable spindle which engages the supply spool and the wheel is engaged by a resilient dog' which engages between any two adjacent teeth-to stop the supply spool selectively inV any one. of a multiplicity'of rotational positions, theV supply spool being actuated frornrone position to the next in either direction by ahand knob. The spring tends at all times to wind up the web on the takeup spool and thus to unwind the Vsupply spool, andthe dogengaging` the teeth resists such tendency, howevernot so forcibly as to prevent winding orV unwindinglof the.: supply spool by manual actuation of the knob.

The dog moves radially ofthe wheel, being displaced outwardly when the Wheel'is actuatedand returningto rest at an inner position. The dog is further biased Vto have an axial component ofengagementwith the wheel, urging the same axially inwardly toward the supplyspool. In this way the spindle is kept engagedwith thesupply spool. Y

A Window in the casing permits writing of a wordvon the web, and the actuation of the web by the knob transports this word out of view and brings a blank portion into View, which may be inscribed with the translation of the word. A web may also be furnished with words and their translations already printed so as to be alternately and consecutively visible in the window, it being essential that a single word be visible at a time in order to promote mental concentration.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter described. ln the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention:

Figure l is a top plan view of the device.

2,837,839 Patented June 10, 1958 Referring now in detail to the drawings, my improvedV device l@ comprises the substantially rectangular casing 11, having the separate top panel 12 constituting a removable cover held on by screws 13 or in any convenient manner.

The takeup spool 14-is rotatably mounted with its free end on the pin 15, and in the illustrated embodiment spool 14 is not removable; though removability could be provided if desired. Spool 14 isvprovided with a smallv hole 16in its end disc 17, and a slidable pin limounted in the sleeve 19 on the plate 20 can be enteredinhole 16 to lock spool 14against rotation.

A flat spiral coil spring 21 has its outer end anchored in the plate 20 and its inner end is connected tothe shaft 22, on which is mounted gear 23 meshing with pinion 24 on shaft 25, on which is gear 26 meshing with pinion 27 on shaft 28 of spool 14.

Supply spool 30 is mounted on the pin 31 and the slidable spindle 32. A web 33 is carried by supply spool 30 and extends therefrom over the tables 34,- 35 and to takeup spool 14. Table 34 is pivotally mounted on the bolts 36 so that it may beswung aside to facilitate changing of spool 30.

An operating'knob or handle 40 is mounted fast on the outer end'of spindle 32, andspindle 32 has the keyV or feather 41 which locks it'against rotation relative t0 supply spool 30- and permits rotation of the latter inv inwardly between teeth 46, and -when resting between any two teeth 46, stops wheel 45'against rotation. Dog 50 is approximately U-shaped in side elevation as seen in Figure 4, and has an integral, elongated body 51 whichV is bolted to casing 11l and constitutes a mounting means providing the movement of dog50 radially inwardly of Wheel 45v as described. Dog 50 is further biased by beingV twisted, as best seen in Figure 3,' so that its engagement with wheel 45 lhas a componentaxialof the latter and in the direction of spool 30. Wheel 45 being fast on spindle 32, the latter is maintainedin engagement with spool 30 by the bias of dog 50.

The cover 12 and bottom wall 60 are provided with windows-61, 62 respectively, the'same being apertures giving access to theweb 33 for writing thereon or merely for viewing,.as desired.k Located between web 33 andthe windows 61, 62, and functioning to restrict the effective area` of the latter, are the plates 63, 64, formedwith the openings 65, 66./ Plates 63, 64 are-slidablelorngi` tudinally of casing 11 in the grooves 67, 68, and extend through said grooves to the exterior of casing 1li, so that they may easily be manipulated.

The operation of my device is as follows. A fresh web 33 wound on a supply spool 30 may be inserted after the old web 33 is wound onto its spool 30 and disconnected from spool 14, by pulling knob 49 upwardly of Figure 3, thus disengaging spindle 32 from spool 3). The new spool 3i) having been inserted, dog 50 will actuate spindle 32 into locking engagement therewith.

When takeup spool 14 is empty, the spring 21 is under maximum load tending to cause spool 14 to revolve eounterclockwise. VSuch revolution is prevented by insertion of pin' 18 in hole 16. Web 33 is next connected to spool 14 in any desired manner and the pin 18 is disengaged, whereupon spring 21 tensions the web 33 between the two spools, motion of the web and spools being prevented by the engagement of dog 50 with ratchet wheel 45. Y

The student then writes a word on the web 33, which may be blank paper. the written word disappears from the window 65 of plate 63, moving toward takeup spool 14. Another blank portion of web is thus presented in window 65, and on this portion is written a word which is a translation of the word rst written. The procedure of writing another word, and then its translation, is continued until the web 33 is lled up on one side thereof, for instance the top Vside in Figure 4. The device may then be turned over, the bottom side of the web in Figure 4 thus becoming exposed for use through window 66 in template 64. The plates 64, 66 maybe slid longitudinally of casing 11 as required to compensate for fortuitous dierences in the length of web transported by one movement of the knob as the web unwinds from spool 30 or rewinds thereonto. For instance, web 33 may have various information printed thereon in laterally extending lines equally spaced longitudinally of the web, as more fully explained hereafter. A single movement of the knob will move takeup spool 14 through a certain angle, depending on the number of teeth on the ratchet wheel 45, and such angular movement will transport the web a certain longitudinal distance. As more of the web winds onto spool 14 and the combined radius of spool and web carried thereby increases, the same angular movement of the spool will be effective to transport the web a greater longitudinal distance. The equally spaced lines of printing on the web will therefore not always register in the openings 65, 66, and the plates 63, 64 are therefore slidable longitudinally of casing 11 in order that they may register with the printed lines. In the case of a blank web 33 on which the student writes words to be studied, fortuitous circumstances can intervene to prevent the manually written words from registering after the web has been transported and when it is again desired to view the particular word. For instance the web may have stretched or contracted due to atmospheric conditions, or the web may have been entirely removed from the casing 11 and have been subsequently replaced thereon, so that the slidability of the plates 63, 64 longitudinally of casing 11 is again necessary to establish registry 'between the indicia on the web and the openings 65, 66.

The purpose of exposing a single word at a time is to promote concentration on that word. The translation of the word is not in view and must be sought by mental activity, prior to turning the knob to bring it into view. Also, extraneous matters such as other words, page numbers, pictures, and all the distractions present when studying from a book, are avoided. The web 33 may be transported in either direction by the knob 40, manipulation being against the force of spring 21 while winding the web onto spool 30, and being assisted by Vspring 21 when winding onto spool 14.

The device therefore does not substitute for a dictionary, but is used either in conjunction with a dictionary or as He next actuates knob 40 so thata refresher of memory if the student has some knowledge of the language being studied.

Web 33, instead of being blank, may be inscribed with a succession of words, each spaced from the other longitudinally of the web and each being followed by a word which is the translation of the immediately preceding word, as seen in Figure 6, where the first six words are three French words each followed by its translation in English.

Also as seen in Figure 6, two or more foreign language vocabularies may be studied at once, the seventh, eighth and ninth words forming a group in which the French, German and English Words each constitute a translation of the other words of the group. Figure 6 illustrates the sequence of words which applies whether the student writes his own lesson onto the web or studies from a printed web prepared according to my invention.

it will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use. As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1n a language study device of the type comprising a casing, supply and takeup spools rotatably supported therein and a web wound on said spools and extending between them, said casing being formed with a window for viewing a particular portion of said web, the improvement comprising a web tensioning spring operatively connected to said takeup spool, said spring being loaded when said takeup spool is empty, a ratchet wheel oper atively connected to said supply spool, an operating handle operatively connected to said ratchet wheel, and a dog resiliently engaging the teeth of said ratchet wheel to stop the same and said supply spool and web selectively in any of a multiplicity of positions, said supply spool being mounted between a pin engaging one end thereof and a slidable spindle engaging the other end thereof and said ratchet wheel being mounted on said spindle, said dog further being biased toI engage said ratchet wheel with a force exerted substantially axially thereof and in the direction of said supply spool, thereby maintaining said spindle in engagement with said supply spool.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 157,690 Lawrence Dec. 15, 1874 420,554 Fuller et al. Feb. 4, 1890 614,383 Gilbert Nov. 15, 1898 770,841 Barker Sept. 27, 1904 838,840 Campman Dec. 18, 1906 1,235,073 Spiro July 31, 1917 1,918,298 Taylor July 18, 1933 2,360,255 Mihalyi Oct. 10, 1944 

